Miyuki-chan and Watanuki
by WingedPanther73
Summary: Miyuki-chan is looking for relief from her... visitations... and stumbles into the wish shop.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Miyuki was exhausted. She hadn't gotten a solid night's sleep in nearly a month, and while it had been a very pleasurable sleep-deprivation, she was now reaching the point where she could barely see straight. She had fallen asleep in class several times and was starting to bring home notes from her teachers about it.

It was in this state of mental fog that she walked past a place that had been an empty lot the day before, but today contained a home with a low wall around it. Exhausted, she leaned against the gate and found herself falling through it onto the grass inside. Two odd-looking girls charged out shouting "A visitor! A visitor!" They grabbed her arms and dragged her inside, despite her protests.

"Really, I'm too tired. I need sleep. Please leave me alone, girls."

"Watanuki! Watanuki! The visitor arrived, just like you said!" they chorused in a sing-song way.

Miyuki found herself dragged before a boy who appeared to be about a year younger than her, dressed in an old-fashioned yukata decorated with birds. The juvenile delinquent was lounging on a low couch sipping a cup of sake with a large container of it by his side while smoking an elegant pipe. "Well done Maru. Well done Moro. Please fetch our guest a refreshment."

"We will, Watanuki!" they chanted in creepy unison before dashing out the door and trapping her with the odd boy.

"I think there's been a mistake. I didn't mean to fall through the gate. I just need to get home. I'm too young to drink, so please just let me go home," she protested while looking for a means of escape before her clothes disappeared yet again.

"Relax. I have no intention of violating your purity any further," the lush drolled casually. This was far from calming, as she had been working hard to keep the visitations from her family. "Furthermore, the reason you were able to enter was because you wish relief, and I have the ability to grant it to you. You see, this is a wish shop." He took a lazy sip of his sake.

"You can make it stop? You can take away this horrible curse? I can't take it anymore! I would give anything to make it stop! I've barely preserved enough of my purity to get married!" She wasn't sure why she was confessing her desperate state, other than the creepy boy seemed to already know what was happening.

The boy's response was cut off by the strange girls returning with a glass of orange juice. Miyuki sniffed at it cautiously, having been drugged more than once already. She couldn't detect any sign of alcohol or other chemicals. With a sigh, she sipped at it. Whether it was here or at home, she wasn't sure it would matter, now.

"Before we proceed, I believe we should be properly introduced. As you noticed, I am known as Kimihiro Watanuki. And you are?"

"Miyuki," she confessed, sipping at the orange juice.

"Well, Miyuki-chan," she bristled at his rudeness, failing to recognize her seniority, but decided to dismiss it, "tell me about your issue. It seems you are very troubled."

She didn't understand why he was suddenly acting as if he had no idea what her problem was, despite his clear understanding that she had a serious problem earlier. It was annoying that he was playing games with her, but she had nothing to lose. "I've been tormented, nightly, by various women appearing in my bedroom. When they aren't visiting me, I'm getting sucked out of my room to visit them. Regardless of location, they won't leave me alone until they've had their perverted way with me. I just want a solid night's sleep. I'd give anything to make it stop."

"Well that's easy enough," the boy observed, "Simply surrender your soul to me, and it will cease," he said far too casually. "Of course, your body would then be in a coma. I think your family would find it unpleasant, but your visitations would cease."

Miyuki's jaw dropped in horror.

"No, I'm not Satan, and I won't agree to do that to you. But you needed to know what the cost of what you asked for is. What you really want is a decent night's sleep every night, correct?"

She found herself nodding, as weariness ate at the edges of her mind. "Yes, I need sleep so badly," she confessed.

"I think you also want to have control over your visitations. Tell me the details of how you go to other places." He was staring at her a bit too intently as he asked this.

"I've been sucked into movies, video games, and other strange places. Other times they come out of books, magazines, most anything."

He nodded sagely, in contrast to his youthful appearance. "As I thought. I can teach you how to control this while providing you peaceful sleep, but there will be a price."

She had known it was too good to be true. The drunken Yankee wanted her to himself. Trading one set of perverted experiences for this kid's lusts was unlikely to help her situation at all. "What is it?" she asked in a hopeless tone.

"You will be my assistant in running the shop. As part of that, you will receive a bedroom of your own, food and drink, and training. Maru and Moro will leave you alone at night, as will I, unless work comes unexpectedly."

"And if someone wishes for me?" she asked with dread.

"I cannot alter another person's nature or free will, and I am not a slave trader. This would be an after-school job. It will be up to you to explain to your parents why you must sleep here at nights. I don't care how you do it, or if you just choose to run away from home."

Despite her misgivings, she got the impression he was sincere. He had not looked away from her face the entire time they had talked, except to look at the strange girls or to pour himself more sake. She could see no other means of relief. "And if I change my mind?"

"You can start sleeping without the protection of this shop any time you wish, but I cannot promise you will be able to return if you do that. You are not a slave, but an employee, if you accept this agreement."

She nodded her head in resignation. She needed sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The two strange girls lead her to a small bedroom suspiciously deep within the shop. She had the sense that the building was somehow larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. She wrote it off as her mind playing tricks on her, and collapsed on the futon in the otherwise bare room. She was asleep instantly.

She woke with a start, expecting to have the hands of perverted women on her body, but instead fond that it was just her rumpled school uniform that had tangled with the sheets between her thighs. Carefully extracting herself from the bondage of her sheets, she glanced around, feeling unusually refreshed and alert. Seeing nothing in the room of interest, she decided to wander about a bit.

After stumbling about the dark house for a while, she finally found the kitchen, in which the strange boy was wearing an apron and about the business of cooking some delicious-smelling food. She hung back in the doorway, observing her new benefactor as he worked. There was an intense look of concentration on his face as he adjusted pots and pans on the burners, added ingredients to this or that, folded pastries, and generally moved about as if this were his true domain.

With no warning, he suddenly started pulling things off burners and added them to four plates with an almost frightening speed. These were placed on the small table in the center of the room just as her arms were grabbed by the two odd girls, and she found herself dragged to one of the seats.

"Watanuki! Watanuki! She woke up hungry, just like you said!" the girls chanted in unison.

"Umm, I don't have any money for food...," she started to protest.

"Room and board," the boy stated. "Eat up, we have a guest arriving soon, and I will need you to be ready to greet her when she arrives."

With a bit of trepidation, Miyuki took a bite of the food, and instantly wondered what was going to be expected of her. She knew that this was easily a 5,000 yen meal, when she had never spent more than 200 yen on a lunch in her life. It was exquisite, but she was terrified about the price that was about to be extracted.

Entirely too quickly, she found the meal had passed. The boy gathered the dishes and began washing them. "How did it taste?" he asked.

"It was delicious!"

"No, I mean how did it taste? I want to know what it tasted like." At first, she thought he was messing with her, but there was an intentness in his face that suggested he was serious.

"You just ate it. Why ask me?"

"Because I cannot remember what the food I cook tastes like. Ever."

Okay, she was now certain he was messing with her, but she saw no option but to play along. "Well, the little dumplings were light and flaky, with a slightly sweet mixture of beef, pork and seasonings..."

"No, no, no. I know what I put in it. How did it taste?" He seemed more intent and desperate than before, if anything.

She stopped and thought carefully. She had had these before when her parents had taken her to nice restaurants before. "Can you remember what other people's food tastes like?"

"Of course!"

She accepted it. The boy was too strange to bother puzzling this out right now. So he wanted to know how his food was different from the cooking of other people. That was harder to describe.

"There's a subtle balance to the spicing that I haven't tasted before. I get the sense that you'd rather throw out a batch of food than serve something less than perfect. There's less focus on sweetness than on the blend of spices.

"The crust is perfectly flaky. The timing shows an uncanny perfection, as if you knew the precise instant to remove it so it wouldn't be too soggy or too dry. It's a perfect balance of timing and temperature.

"Your food speaks of your passion for food," She finally concluded.

The boy nodded soberly. "Maru, Moro, bring Megetsu and Miyuki-chan..." there was that disrespect again, "... to my meeting room. I'll go meet Jorougumo at the front gate."

Suddenly, a new voice popped up from the doorway, "Mokona will meet her with Watanuki!" Miyuki's head snapped around to see a strange cross between a black rabbit and a stuffed toy hopping up and down in the doorway. "Mokona likes Jorougumo!"

"You just like it when she hangs you from the ceiling and sets you to swinging back and forth, Mokona," the boy observed.

"Yup, yup, yup! That's the best part!" the little black... thing... announced cheerfully. Miyuki couldn't figure out what the point of putting a fuzz ball into bondage could be.

The two girls dragged her off to a room filled with cushions, picking up a strangely decorated tube along the way. "Watanuki will be here soon with our guest," said the first girl, followed by, "Our guest will soon arrive with Watanuki," by the second. With that, they abandoned her with the tube, bounding out with an almost psychotic delight in life.

A short time later, the boy lead in a woman who appeared to be in her late twenties, wearing a scandalous outfit. She hadn't realized that he brought prostitutes into his home. She was definitely unsure about why he wanted her present for this exchange, as she definitely wanted to avoid getting involved in whatever tryst they were planning. With a sigh, she held her place, tube in hand.

"Watanuki-sama, I see you have another guest. She's quite cute." Miyuki felt her jaw drop at the sign of respect the woman gave her host, even as she knew her cheeks were reddening at the compliment.

"She's typical for her age, though I'm sure she'll mature well with time," he responded. Her mouth clamped shut at the implied insult. "Now then, Jorougumo-san, what can I do for you tonight?"

"Tie me up! Tie me up!" the fuzzball suddenly demanded. With a sigh, the woman drew a thread from between her fingers and quickly wrapped it around the creature, then somehow attached it to a cord hanging from the ceiling. With a light tap, she sent the black creature swinging back and forth, merrily singing, "I'm swinging! Swinging! Swinging back and forth!"

The boy and woman smiled indulgently before they got down to business. "You remember the black pearl you retrieved for me a while back?"

"Of course."

"There is a silver pearl I would like you to retrieve. I have reason to believe it will be available soon."

The boy nodded sagely, even as Miyuki found herself wondering what they were talking about. There was no such thing as black or silver pearls. Despite that, his response was simply, "And for that, of course, I will need payment."

The harlot reached into the top of her suggestive outfit and removed a spindle wrapped with some sort of fine, white thread from between her breasts. "My children have been working hard to make this for you. I believe it will be adequate payment."

The boy reached forth his hand and nodded, slipping it into the folds of his yukata's sleeve. "That will certainly work as payment. I will contact you as soon as I have retrieved the silver pearl for you."

"Thank you, Watanuki-sama," the woman replied. "You must value this girl if you gave her the fox for protection."

"She's my assistant. I'd rather her training be less painful than my own," he replied.

Miyuki was completely confused.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The following morning, a college student came into the shop. He was announced by the two girls chanting about the seventh Doumeki-kun having arrived, as requested. Since it was a weekend, Miyuki had been sleeping in. The ruckus roused her, but any thoughts she'd had of rolling over and enjoying a morning in bed were completely trashed by Maru and Moro bounding into her room and chanting, "Watanuki needs you!" "You're needed by Watanuki!" The girls certainly were familiar with the boy.

She stretched her arms and got off the futon, still in her pajamas. "Fine, fine, let me get dressed, first." She took her time getting dressed, so missed the initial greetings. She found the young man sitting on the front porch sipping lemonade with her new employer. He was extremely tall, with a stern expression, despite his relaxed posture. He had a strange ring on his finger and heterochromatic eyes, much like Watanuki's. She found him strangely attractive.

"Ah, Miyuki-chan, this is young Doumeki-kun. I've asked him to lead in the process of recovering the silver pearl for last night's guest. You, of course, will accompany him as part of your training." Everything about the manner of address confused her. Not only was the boy disrespecting her, but also a man who was obviously college-aged. Even stranger, he referred to someone older than himself as "young".

"What will my role in this be?" She asked.

"You will follow him and avoid getting in his way. Keep your eyes open and speak only if he misses something. For now, you need to learn that nothing is as you assume it is," Watanuki said. After making that statement, he turned to Doumeki. "How is your grandfather doing?"

"He's doing well, Watanuki-san. He expressed his regret that he hasn't been able to do anything to serve you for several years, now."

"That's so very like him. He never did want to hand the responsibility of serving me down to your father. It's hard to manage your temple and serve me, however."

"That's true, of course. Now that grandfather needs more help with the temple, father can't assist you as much. Grandfather wants to use that as an excuse to serve you again, I think."

"I'm sure he does, yet I see you have the ring I gave your great, great, great, great grandfather. Are you skilled with it?"

"Yes, sir."

Miyuki was trying to follow the implications of their conversation. With these last few statements, she realized that they had to be pulling her leg. The suggestion that a fifteen year old boy would have known a long-since dead ancestor of a college man was simply ridiculous. That is, until that same college man made the motion of drawing a bow, and she sensed, rather than saw, an arrow of some sort waiting to fly forth.

"Good," Watanuki said, "I hope you won't have need to use it. Look after Miyuki-chan. She doesn't understand the world she's a part of."

"Understood, sir." The young man nodded soberly, as if Watanuki were a source of wisdom to be revered. Something was definitely off.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Miyuki trailed behind the strong shoulders of Doumeki. She found herself feeling insecure behind him, knowing that he was part of a mystery that she didn't understand, and not knowing how to unravel it. Doumeki, the seventh in a long line of Doumeki's who had apparently served Watanuki for who knows how long, was taking long, purposeful strides towards an address that Watanuki had provided him.

Doumeki moved rapidly, showing no signs of interest in anything other than accomplishing the task he had been set. He was manly, yet spoke few words. Finally, Miyuki came to a stop, gasping for breath. Doumeki slowed to a stop, then turned. "I'm sorry, did you need me to slow down?"

Miyuki felt her cheeks flushing as she nodded slightly. "Please, Doumeki-san." He merely nodded while he waited for her to catch her breath. "How long has your family served Watanuki-kun?"

He thought for a moment, then stated, "Just under two-hundred thirteen years."

Miyuki blinked in surprise, then looked for any sign that Doumeki was messing with her. "But, that's impossible!"

"Certainly not. He awaits the return of his mistress, Yuuko-san. Until such time as she returns, he will wait in that shop, running it and conducting its business. I and my ancestors assist by running errands outside the boundaries of the shop." There was no trace of humor in his voice as he said this.

He continued, "You have entered a different world, Miyuki-chan, and will need to adjust to the realities of myth and legend. Tell me what you know of Jorougumo."

She considered for a moment. "Of course, I know of the legend of spider-women. Why anyone would name their child such a name is quite beyond me, however."

"Jorougumo gave Watanuki spider's silk. Where do you think she got that much spider's silk from?"

Miyuki stared blankly, trying to understand what was being said.

"Her children, spiders, collected it. They saved it for days to trade to Watanuki-san. Her children did this at her behest, because her children are spiders." His eyes bored into hers, as if he willed her to comprehend the insane things he was saying.

"There's no such thing..." she protested.

"There are many things. Watanuki-san would not have you working for him if you did not already have some inkling of this reality. Most people only scratch the surface of things, if at all. Watanuki-san is taking you to the full depths of the reality of our world."

Miyuki fainted.

* * *

Miyuki woke up in a small room. Doumeki was sitting on a chair next to her. She was on a futon. "Where are we?"

"We are at the apartment where Watanuki-san indicated the silver pearl will appear. We are guests of the owner, until such time as that should occur."

"Why would someone let a couple of strangers into their home?"

"You were a damsel in distress, overcome by the heat. What kind of a cad would refuse to help?"

Miyuki stared at him. "We shouldn't impose further. I'm feeling fine, now." She got up and left the small room, while Doumeki remained seated impassively. When she stepped out, she saw a young man with scratches on his face standing in the kitchen.

"Good to see you're recovered, Miyuki-chan. Your friend seemed most concerned for your well-being." Miyuki looked back in the room at the dour-seeming Doumeki in bemusement. "Not him, Watanuki-san. He was most insistent that I wake up and be ready to greet you."

Miyuki tried to recall ever seeing a telephone in the little house, but couldn't. Obviously it was tucked away in a corner someplace. But wouldn't calling have already woken her host up? Why call to insist he wake up? "I'm sorry for imposing on you. We should be leaving, now."

"Nonsense! The tea is nearly ready. Besides, you have something you need to provide me, before you leave." He looked at her meaningfully, with obvious lust in his eyes, yet didn't move from his little kitchen.

Miyuki backed away and glanced at the door. It was dead-bolted and key-locked from the inside. _I'm going to be violated. Again. He said I wouldn't be violated if I worked for him! He lied to me!_ She backed into a corner of the small apartment, shaking her head.

"Do me a favor, my dear, and read that magazine next to you." He took the tea pot off the stove and poured three cups. Doumeki came out of the small bedroom and took two cups, handing one to Miyuki while keeping the other for himself. The two boys drank their tea.

Miyuki calmed herself and took a polite sip, then glanced at the magazine. She dropped it in horror when she realized it was a porn magazine, and stared at their host, aghast. "Why should I read this?"

"Please read it as you drink your tea, and our business together will be handled shortly."

Miyuki opened the magazine and sipped her tea. She saw pictures of women doing things she had already, alas, become entirely too familiar with. Before she realized it, she had finished her tea, and the magazine seemed to take on a surreal quality, the color of the ink a little too vivid.

A naked woman crawled out of it, staring at her with lust. "Oh no! Not again!"

As the woman reached for Miyuki, their host grabbed her from behind. "I'll satisfy your desires, my lovely. Please come with me." He dragged the woman into the bedroom they had so recently abandoned, and Miyuki heard the noises of pleasure that she would rather not hear again.

Doumeki simply sipped his tea.

After a while, their host came out, wearing only a bathrobe. The scratches on his face were gone, and he placed what appeared to be a silver orb in Miyuki's hand. "With this, our transaction is complete." With that, he unlocked the front door, and they left.

Miyuki turned to Doumeki in confusion. "What happened back there?"

"A transaction was performed to gain the silver pearl. We will bring it to Watanuki-san, now, and he will hand it to Jorougumo-san. With that, all the transactions will be complete, and equity will be restored."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Watanuki-san will explain it, if you ask him."

They returned to the little shop in silence. When they arrived, Watanuki was on the front porch with Jorougumo, sipping lemonade. Miyuki gave the orb to the strange boy, who eyed it speculatively. "Well done, Miyuki-chan." He turned to his guest. "As you requested, the silver pearl."

"So you sent your new girl to fetch it. Interesting. I didn't imagine you'd be the type to abuse her so." The prostitute looked at Miyuki more closely, now. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Watanuki-san, you sly dog! Zashiki-warashi will be most put out by this turn of events!"

"Most likely, but how do you think Ame-warashi will react? And do you really want to be the one to inform them?"

"No, no, I'll keep silent about it, but my children will certainly keep me informed about what happens." She stood up and addressed Miyuki. "You have no idea what a pleasure it is to meet you, young lady." With that, she strode out the gate and disappeared.

_There's something strange going on here. _Doumeki sat beside Watanuki and had a glass of lemonade.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Miyuki slunk home. She'd had an interesting time, and had a good night's sleep, and she needed to keep getting that sleep, even if things were going to get weird. The problem was, all her stuff was at home. She needed fresh clothes.

She slipped into her home, and went upstairs. Her mom was waiting for her. She'd obviously been crying. "Umm... Hi, Mom!" Miyuki plastered a bright smile on her face.

"Miyuki-chan! You're alive! I was so worried about you!" Miyuki was crushed in her mother's hug. "What happened to you?"

"Yeah, about that. You know I haven't been sleeping well, right?"

Her mom nodded, then got a look of horror. "It's drugs, isn't it! You've become a drug whore! Oh my god! We'll get you into rehab! You'll be okay!"

"Mom! No! It's not drugs! It's just... I found a way to sleep, but I can't stay here to do it."

"You're selling your body on the streets, aren't you! It's alcohol, right?"

"MOM! It's not drugs! I'm okay. It's just, I have this condition that makes it hard to sleep, and I got into a special program that seems to be working."

Her mom looked at her suspiciously. "Is our insurance going to cover it?"

"It's not going to require insurance, or money. It's..." she thought fast, "... a medical study that I qualified for. But they have to monitor my brainwaves at night, and it's working really well!"

Her mom breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as my baby's not turning into a crack whore, and won't make mommy go broke, I'm fine with it!"

"Can I get a few things, Mom? Between the studies, and school, I can't always swing by the house easily." She hated lying to her mom, yet again. She was becoming far too used to it.

"Sure! Here, let me get your bag! Oh, and let's get your school supplies into your backpack." Her mom started puttering about grabbing things and piling them into a bag that Miyuki would barely be able to carry.

"Thanks, Mom! I appreciate it!"

She lugged the bag down the stairs and out the front door. _Now how am I going to get this over to Watanuki-kun's? I mean, that's a big hike._ The weight of her bag suddenly disappeared. Spinning around, she saw Doumeki standing behind her, slinging her bag over his shoulder. "Let's go."

He hauled her stuff to the wish shop without another word. As they walked, she looked at him. "Why are you working for a juvenile delinquent, Doumeki-san?"

"Watanuki-sama is many things, Miyuki-chan, but he is not a juvenile delinquent." There were those strange honorifics again.

"But he can't be more than sixteen, and yet he's drinking and smoking and hanging around unsavory women."

"I wouldn't sell yourself short like that, Miyuki-chan. Besides, he's far older than sixteen. My grandfather remembers first meeting Watanuki-sama as a boy. Watanuki-sama looked the same back then as he does today. As for his customers, they vary widely, and some are far stranger than the ones you've met so far."

They arrived at the shop. "She's back, she's back!" "She's returned, she's returned!" greeted her ears as she stepped through the gate. The two odd girls were chasing each other around the front yard with water pistols, squirting each other while Watanuki lobbed water balloons at them. Mokona suddenly came around the corner of the house and squirted everyone with a hose, including Doumeki and Miyuki.

"My clothes! Mokona!"

The black creature laughed devilishly and scampered away while Doumeki brought her things inside.

"You can unpack later, Miyuki-chan. I need you to help me reorganize the warehouse today."

"The warehouse?"

"Yup. Let's go." He lead her into a section of the shop that she hadn't seen before, and saw tons of stuff, much of it covered in dust and cobwebs. "All we need to do is take it all out, organize it, clean it, and put it back."

Miyuki stared at the mountains of junk. When she didn't move, Watanuki grabbed a box and started walking. _Nothing to do but help, I guess. _As she carried boxes and containers and knick-knacks out, she found her skin prickling on a regular basis, as if there were static electricity charging some of the items.

When she was sure they were done hauling everything out, Watanuki said, "Spit out the extra items, Mokona. We need to review those, too." _Okay, so a couple more items. No big deal. _Mokona opened his mouth, and things started dropping out of its mouth, increasing the size of the pile of junk by nearly fifty percent. Miyuki just stared.

"Hang on a second..." Watanuki want rummaging through the piles until he found an old oil lamp. "Carry this one, Mokona, we don't want her dusting it."

"Yup, yup, yup, Watanuki!" The creature opened its mouth, and the lamp was sucked back in.

"Okay, Miyuki-chan, start dusting!" With that, the boy sat down on the porch next to Doumeki, sipping lemonade. The girls grabbed a rug with butterflies printed on it, hung it, and started hitting it with a couple of odd-looking items that looked far too fancy to be used as rug beaters. She stared when the butterflies dodged. "Dusting! Not staring!"

"Aren't you going to help?"

"I'm directing! Management is a very important part of any organization."

"What about him?" She indicated Doumeki.

"It would be rude to ask a guest and dear friend to do house work."

Miyuki scowled and bent to work. _I bet this lazy kid hasn't worked a day in his life._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Miyuki strolled into the shop after school and found Watanuki popping popcorn over the stove. She stared at him as he agitated the covered skillet. He worked calmly until the popping stopped, then poured the white puffs into a large bowl. He drizzled butter over them and then added a little salt, lightly shaking the whole thing.

"You're just in time, Miyuki-chan. We're going to be watching movies today!"

She eyed him skeptically. "You watch movies?"

"Of course! I love keeping up with cultural advances. It helps me relate to my customers." He was positively beaming as he carried the popcorn into another room with a large television. Miyuki was fairly certain it hadn't been there before.

Doumeki walked in behind her and handed a brown, paper bag to Watanuki. "The movies you requested."

_That's not normal..._ "Movie night! Movie night!" "Movie time! Movie time!" the two girls chanted, dancing around Miyuki. She stared at all of them in confusion, then gasped when the two girls suddenly stopped and made tugging motions. Something snapped tight around her, pinning her arms against her body.

"What? What's going on?"

Watanuki popped a white gold-covered puff into his mouth. "Making sure you stay put for the movie." He removed two movies from the brown bag, and she saw one of the titles was 'Girl on Girl Action 7'.

"Would you prefer this one, or this one?" He now held up 'Dominatrix Harem 12'.

"Neither! Why would you think watching those will help you understand modern culture?"

"Doumeki tells me porn is very popular these days."

The somber young man nodded. "It's true."

"Well, since you're looking the part, I guess we'll start with Dominatrix Harem. I thought the seventh video was the best so far, but I still have high hopes for this one."

Miyuki stared, aghast. "Please, don't do this."

He popped the movie into the player and started it. Meanwhile, the two, strange girls made tying motions and then sat down to watch. "Marudashi and Morodashi have always wanted to try their hands at porn, but fear they'd appear too young."

The two weird girls started chanting "Girl on girl! Girl on girl!" Miyuki stared at the girls who appeared to be only thirteen or so.

When the opening scenes started, the four people around her suddenly grew still and silent as they watched the action. A woman who resembled the Red Queen was tormenting a naked woman under dim, flickering lights. She closed her eyes, but the erotic cries still reached her ears.

Her mind went to nights of passion, despite what she wished. She felt the guilty desire to experience carnal pleasure battering at her mind. Suddenly, the TV went silent. Her eyes popped open, and she saw the woman in the TV staring at her, while Watanuki did the same.

"Oh no," she breathed. "Not again."

"Just now, what were you thinking and feeling?" the pervy boy demanded.

Her eyes shifted from the erotic woman who was shifting from one foot to the other inside the TV to Watanuki. "I was... feeling desirous." She admitted.

"Were you thinking about her?" He pointed at the trapped dominatrix.

"Not specifically, just... being horny."

The woman in the TV gradually grew still, and the scene became normal again.

"Keep your eyes open this time and pay attention to the sensations you feel just before she," he gestured towards the black-clad woman, "notices you."

He hit play again. Miyuki kept her eyes open, and saw the naked woman pleasuring the dominatrix. It reminded her of other times. Soon, the dominatrix was looking directly at her again. The background froze again.

"What did you do to get her to notice you?"

"I don't know!" Miyuki tried struggling a bit, and quickly regretted it, as she realized she was trapped, and became aware of how erotic that was. Doumeki left the room and came back with a beer, looking utterly bored by all of it.

"You wanted her, didn't you? The dominatrix, specifically?" the perv asked.

_I... _She felt the twinges of desire. _I did. _She nodded, hanging her head in shame.

"Your desire is what creates the gate. When you want to be someplace else, or want someone from someplace else, badly enough, then a gate between them appears. Sexual desire is a powerful want. Have you had others?"

"Sometimes, wanting to be in an exciting movie..."

"Pay attention to your desire. You have to learn to control it, make it intentional. For example, try to get the other woman, instead."

What followed was an embarrassing session in which Miyuki was tied up, helpless, as they went through Watanuki's very, very extensive porn collection. He would give her challenges of making this character or that character notice her, along with challenging her to keep any of them from noticing her.

During all that, she was forced to admit that it was easier to get women to notice her than men. What disturbed her was that Doumeki fell asleep partway through the first movie, and had to be dragged off by Maru and Moro. The girls seemed to find the movies deeply fascinating, even practicing kissing each other from time to time. Watanuki generally praised their efforts, sometimes offering pointers.

Watanuki, for his part, simply seemed aloof. He was dressed so that he could have easily joined anyone who came through the TV screen, but didn't appear to care whether they did or not. He did, however, seem to delight in forcing her to admit embarrassing fantasies and experiences.

Several hours later, she had almost conscious control over getting or blocking the characters from paying attention to her and seeking access to her. It was at around midnight that the girls untied her.

"What was it they tied me up with?"

"The spider silk Jorougumo paid me with. Nothing like spider-demon silk to be light and strong!" he said with a grin.

She looked skeptical.

"We'll practice again soon, so get some rest."

Miyuki couldn't decide if he was a pervert, or just a sadist.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Miyuki started the next morning before school by packing all her things up into her bag. _There is no way I'm staying another moment in this crazy place. I'm lucky I didn't get assaulted the moment he started showing me those movies! Worse, I couldn't stop thinking about them until I got myself off!_

She stepped into the kitchen for breakfast, bags in hand. Watanuki glanced at her luggage and raised an eyebrow. "Leaving already?"

"Of course! I'm lucky I didn't have women crawling all over me while you had me tied up!"

"Luck had nothing to do with it," he replied in a bored tone.

"Any other time, I'd have been swarmed!"

"And why do you think you weren't, this time? I promised that if you slept here, you would be able to sleep unmolested. I also promised to train you." He placed placed omurice in front of her and sat down with his own plate.

She found herself staring at him. "You're saying you kept them from coming through?"

"Of course. It wouldn't be wise to have you getting ravished on your first day of training. If you'd been at your home, you'd certainly have not lasted through the first movie. As it was, you were quite safe."

"But why those kinds of movies?"

"Because that's what your trigger has been. You crave the erotic, even if you aren't honest with yourself about it." To her distress, his kimono had fallen open, revealing his chest down to his navel. He didn't seem to care as he ate. "For now, we're going to work on your control over your abilities. You'll learn, in time, how to make gates and control what goes through them and which way. Unless, of course, you go home. In that case, you'll probably never get a good night's sleep again."

He proceeded to shovel eggs and rice into his mouth, then cleaned up. _Why does he have to dress like that? He's small, but weirdly attractive, too. Is he serious about me having to stay here? Of course he is. He seems to be serious so much of the time, and completely ridiculous the rest of the time._

She went to school without her luggage. The day was spent thinking about the previous night and her conversation that morning. Much to her dismay, she could feel things trying to open up as she recalled the previous night, and found herself having to change her train of thought on a regular basis. By the time school was over, she was so exhausted from keeping things under control that going back to the shop was a relief.

She was surprised to see a girl carrying an umbrella talking with Watanuki on the porch. There had been no rain for several days, and the forecast said it would be dry for several more. Despite that, the girl was carrying an umbrella.

Miyuki received a hostile glare when she arrived. "Who's that, Watanuki-san?"

"My new assistant. She's already proving to be quite useful."

Miyuki was the object of an appraising look. "Doumeki-san is probably more helpful. Heck, Mokona's probably more helpful than her. Why does she seem familiar?"

Watanuki just smiled enigmatically and changed the subject. "So you'll get the back yard filled with water for me, and in exchange I'll locate the object for you. I'll search for it tonight. I already have a hunch about where to find it."

The girl scowled as she said, "Very well. Be that way. And yes, we have a deal." She stalked off and disappeared the instant she was through the gate.

"Who was that?"

"Ame-warashi is an old friend of mine, even if she is a bit of a cynic."

"You mean, she's an actual rain spirit?"

"Of course. What else would she be?"

Miyuki shook her head and went inside. She moved her luggage back to her room and collapsed, exhausted.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was the morning after the following day that Miyuki stumbled out of her room, only to find Watanuki and a girl exiting his bedroom. Watanuki reached around the girl and inappropriately touched her as he finished securing her clothing, causing the girl to blush prettily. When she noticed Miyuki watching them, however, she turned beet red.

"Watanuki-kun, you didn't tell me you had a guest," she said in a soft voice.

"She's my new assistant." The girl nodded, then looked coyly at Miyuki.

Suddenly the girl gasped and whirled around to stare at Watanuki with a look of horror. "No! Not so soon! It can't be!" When he nodded slightly, looking sorrowful himself, she began crying silently and clutched at his open kimono.

"You made her cry!" Miyuki was startled to see five tiny men on flying surfboards come barreling around a corner. Without turning his attention away from the girl in his arms, he raised one hand and a glowing circle expanded out of nowhere, various symbols scattered through it. The five men crashed into the circle and howled in frustration before shouting, "The other way!"

Miyuki saw another circle appear, but one of the men grabbed her and held a fan to her throat. "Drop the barriers, or your minion gets it!" he said menacingly.

It was the girl who intervened. "Stop it! Look at who you're threatening, you fool!"

One of the other men flew up to Miyuki and looked at her intently. He suddenly gasped in shock, and fell off his surfboard. "We're sorry! We're sorry! It won't happen again!" he said, while groveling on his hands and knees at her feet. _What in the...?_

The other man abruptly released her and, before she knew it, all five of the little men were ignoring Watanuki and the girl, and groveling, begging for mercy. "Umm... Really, it's okay. No harm done." _What have I stepped into?_

"Thank you, Mistress. We'll remember this mercy always!" their leader promised. Then they hopped back onto their surfboards and disappeared.

Watanuki dropped the glowing circles and gently held the girl, muttering soft comforting sounds. Miyuki found herself feeling embarrassed by the tender scene. _I didn't realize he could actually be nice and gentle._

The girl finally lifted her head away from his chest, her composure regained, and Watanuki lightly kissed her forehead. "We'll see each other soon. Tell Ame-Warashi I have what she was looking for, when she's ready." The girl nodded, then slipped away, looking both elegant and serene as she left the building.

Miyuki waited a while before asking, "Who was that?"

"A dear, old friend."

"That didn't look like the behavior two 'dear, old friends' engage in."

He smirked at her. "As opposed to what you do with complete strangers?"

Miyuki felt her cheeks start blazing as she stomped off to go to school. One thought nagged at her as she walked. _Why would that girl know a rain spirit?_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was a few days later that she arrived at the shop to see the two girls skulking about stealthily. When they saw her, the whispered, "The master has a special guest," "A special guest is visiting the master." She looked at them in bemusement, then headed back to her room to study. As she passed Watanuki's room, she saw a fuzzy snake circling anxiously in front of his room, making pitiful chirping noises.

She stopped and stared at the strange creature, baffled. "Mustn't disturb the master." "The master doesn't want to be disturbed." She looked at the two girls, more baffled than before. _What has got them so creeped out?_

She tapped lightly on the door, and the girls scrambled away. The door opened, and Miyuki was aghast to see that Watanuki's kimono was barely on him. She could see everything there was to see. Before she could properly react, he grabbed her wrist, yanked her in, and slammed the door shut. As she started to squeak out a protest, she saw his 'special guest': Jorougumo. She was completely naked as she covered Miyuki's mouth and shoved her against the wall.

"Stay put, little girl, and learn from your elders." When the woman leaned back, Miyuki found that her mouth wouldn't open and that she couldn't pull away from the wall. She pressed against the wall with her hands, and they stuck as well.

"Mmphh! Mmmph!" _Let me go! Let me out of here! What the hell are you doing?_

She watched, helpless, as the delinquent and the whore resumed the lovemaking she had obviously interrupted. They simply ignored her as they explored each others' bodies while whispering the strangest things to each other.

She closed her eyes to shut out the images, and between the moans heard things like, "Will you give me _your_ eye this time, dear?" and "Care to host my next brood?"

The sounds caused her to imagine what they were doing, and she finally peeked, only to she Watanuki's face buried between the whore's thighs. She quickly slammed her eyes shut again, but she now knew exactly why the woman was moaning.

She was still wearing her school uniform. She was in a skirt and knee socks. She felt a trickle down her thigh, as she imagined Watanuki doing to her what was being done to the whore. There was a scream of pleasure, followed by silence, and she felt her knees go weak, ears straining.

When she heard Watanuki groan, she peeked again, only to see the woman on her knees in front of Watanuki. Miyuki slammed her eyes shut again, wishing she couldn't hear the noises they were making. When she heard him thrash, she could only think, _Maybe it's finally over._

It wasn't. It kept going. And going. Miyuki felt a growing need for relief. When she heard another orgasmic cry from the woman, she lost the remaining strength in her knees. _I want my turn! I want relief! I want that!_

She felt something in her twisting against a barrier that wasn't normally there. _I HAVE TO GET RELIEF!_ It twisted again, pounding against the barrier. Frustration and desperation and the desire to be touched all conspired together. Then she heard a whisper in her ear. "Do you feel it now, Miyuki-chan?"

It was Watanuki whispering in her ear, his breath tickling. She opened her eyes to gaze at him in desperation, mouth sealed, but he didn't touch her or release her. "Feel what you're doing. Understand it completely."

She could feel it, there was a piece of her that was desperately twisting to grasp something, anything, that would bring her what she so desperately craved. "Look at her," he commanded, and she saw the whore fingering herself in the opposite corner.

Miyuki groaned in frustration. "Direct that energy at your bond, girl." She would have glared at him for the demeaning term, if she wasn't so desperate. "Free yourself."

She tried focusing on her bonds, having nothing better to do. Suddenly she fell to the ground. Her desperation moved her hands under her skirt, and soon she was moaning her relief, not caring that there was a younger boy watching her, or that a whore was smirking at her. She collapsed to the floor, finally satisfied.

Watanuki shrugged into his kimono and closed it, while the woman leisurely dressed. "Thank you, Jorougumo. Didn't I tell you it would be interesting?"

"You did, Watanuki-san. Let me know when I can play with her properly, and I'll be back," she replied with a mischievous grin.

He eyed the woman speculatively. "We'll see what she says, when the time comes."

The woman stepped over Miyuki and out the door, hissing at the fuzzy snake as she left. The snake, for its part, quickly slithered up Watanuki and curled around his neck, giving the boy little pecks on the cheek and making happy chirping noises.

Miyuki slowly got to her knees. "Go get some rest, Miyuki-chan."

"Mmph. MMPH!" _My mouth is still sealed!_

She tugged at her mouth, but couldn't open it. She pleaded with him with her eyes.

"If you can't free yourself by the morning, I'll take care of it." With that, he scooped her up and deposited her in her own room, surprising her with his strength.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Miyuki had struggled to free her mouth for a couple hours, and even felt a twinge of something, but exhaustion had finally conquered her, driving her to sleep. The next morning, she dragged herself into the kitchen and looked at Watanuki with pleading eyes.

"It seems you didn't free your mouth, after all. Do you wish me to free your lips for you?" She nodded fervently, then saw a dangerous gleam in the boy's eyes. "There will, of course, be a price for your wish."

"A price! A price!" the girls chanted suddenly, startling her.

"Are you willing to pay it?" She thought about it, and knew she had no choice. She nodded.

Watanuki walked up to her and firmly grasped the back of her head and held her head very still. Her eyes widened as his face closed in towards hers. She was shocked when she felt his tongue graze her lips, and then the faintest contact between his lips and her own. _He's going to rape me, he's going to rape me, he's going to rape me!_

Watanuki then backed away, releasing her head, and smacked his lips. "Spider silk is so delicious. It's a shame I can't get it more often."

Miyuki's jaw dropped open in shock. Then it fell wider open when she realized it was open. "How?"

"You'll learn, with time. For now, it's enough that you can answer your senseis' questions today." With that, he put a plate on the table for her and began eating his own breakfast.

The rest of her day was an exercise in complete, utter futility. All she could think about was the gentlest kiss she had ever received in her rather bizarre life. She was used to rough kisses, demanding kisses, bruising kisses, but not gentle kisses.

_How? How does a fucking kid that young learn how to...? Is there a side to him I haven't been seeing?_ Her mind whirled around thoughts like that the rest of the day, making being in school a haze in which she just doodled in her notebooks.

When she got back to the shop that afternoon, she couldn't look Watanuki in the eyes. She felt herself blushing, instead. "Do you feel like trying something... interesting?" He asked her, voice dripping with innuendo.

"Umm..." _He's gonna kiss me. He's gonna make me scream like the wench last night._

"Lie down on the bed." She did hesitantly, and he approached her. The next thing she knew she was handcuffed. After that, her ankles were shackled. Then she was hogtied. "Now, free yourself."

She craned her neck around in time to see him closing the door on her on his way out of her room.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Miyuki lay on her bed, fuming. _I cannot BELIEVE I was crushing on that arrogant, heartless bastard all day today! How could I have been so foolish as to think he was sweet and sexy and..._ She tugged at the cuffs that were restraining her, fury filling her heart.

It wasn't that she was mad about the cuffs. She had gotten used to being restrained, often in far more awkward positions than what she was in now. She had never, ever been ignored, however. Somebody restraining her had always been followed by sweet, delicious orgasms, not abandonment.

_I can't believe he's just LEAVING me here!_ As the anger and hurt in her heart swelled, her thoughts turned dark. _When I get free of these, I am SO going to kick his scrawny ass! I WANT OUT!_ With a sudden pop, she felt a now familiar twisting, and one arm was free. The sudden happiness that swept through her didn't last long, as her remaining arm and legs were still bound together.

She tugged at the cuffs a bit, then focused. Pretty soon, the twist and pop happened again and an ankle was free. Then the other came free. Finally she jerked off the cuffs completely and stormed out of her bedroom after Watanuki. When she stormed into the lounging room where he was smoking and drinking sake, he simply looked up at her blandly and observed, "Oh! You're free already. Good, I need you to fetch me something from the storeroom."

She stared at him. "You hogtied me, and all you can say is, 'I need you to fetch something'? That's it?"

"Fishing for compliments is very unbecoming behavior, Miyuki-chan."

She stormed off to the warehouse, and then realized she didn't know what he wanted. She wandered around a bit, anyway, trying to calm down. She was nearly there, when the image in a picture blinked at her. She looked more closely, and saw a feline head on a human-looking neck staring at her, blinking occassionally.

Miyuki picked up the picture, staring. "It's not polite to stare, girl," the image declared, then began climbing out of the picture frame, only to fall on top of Miyuki. "So, Watanuki-san has acquired a helper. How interesting."

"Umm... I'm Miyuki."

The woman sniffed her. "You would do well to not say that so freely. Hasn't Watanuki-san taught you anything?" She peered closely at her. "It has been a while since I've seen you. When did you get so ditzy?" _What? I've never met her before! _"Please take me to Watanuki."

Miyuki helplessly lead the woman back to the delinquent. "Akari-san! A pleasure to see you again!" The boy actually sat up with a smile on his face.

"Watanuki-san! So good to see you again. What's with her?" She jerked a thumb at Miyuki.

"She needs some training. She isn't aware of her potential yet."

"Interesting." The woman observed Miyuki appraisingly. "I suppose you're going to give her a similar induction to your own?"

"Of course."

"Here you go, then." She handed Watanuki what resembled a giant ground cherry, sat down in his lap, and gulped down some sake.

"Miyuki, take this and meet Doumeki-kun out front. He knows what to do from there." The two proceeded to ignore her, then, simply drinking sake and laughing about stuff.

Feeling disoriented and helpless, she wandered out to the front of the shop, and saw Doumeki-san waiting for her. _Of course he's here._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Miyuki was surrounded by monsters in a basically barren landscape. Everybody was walking towards something, but she didn't know what. They chatted amiably enough with Doumeki, as if they were on good terms with him. She, on the other hand, only got odd looks from odd creatures.

"Why do I have to hold hands with you?" she whispered fiercely at the taller man.

"So you don't get lost, of course," he replied calmly, as if nothing odd were happening.

"I can follow you just fine without holding hands." She was still keeping her voice low.

"Not here, you can't."

She went silent again, looking at the various monsters around them, some of which she recognized, and many more that she didn't. Five, short men on flying surfboards zipped past overhead, each holding one of the giant ground cherries. "Great, where's their mistress, I wonder."

"Over there." Doumeki pointed to the girl Watanuki had obviously bedded. Next to her was the slut. They were talking amiably enough, while the girl with the umbrella glared at the slut and stood close to the innocent-looking girl.

"Does everyone know everyone around here?" she hissed.

"Creatures that live for hundreds or thousands of years tend to get to know each other."

"So why do so many of them seem to know Watanuki?"

"Like I said..."

_Is he for real? He's a kid!_ She looked around. _And I'm surrounded by monsters from myth and legend._ She glanced over at the girl and slut, and the slut suddenly transformed into a giant spider with a woman's torso. Miyuki fainted.

* * *

"What do you mean she screwed up getting the nectar?" Mokona whined. "I've been looking forward to drinking that for an entire year!"

"How could you have sex with that, that, THING!?" Miyuki demanded of Watanuki.

"Jorougumo-san's very talented in bed," Watanuki replied mildly, between sips of sake.

"She's a monster!"

"She also ate my eye, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy her company." Miyuki stared at the odd boy. _I don't think he's kidding. _"I got this one from Doumeki-san," he added. She looked at Doumeki, who clearly had both eyes. "Not that Doumeki-san, his great, great, great, great grandfather."

Doumeki just nodded in agreement. Miyuki gave up and stalked off to her room.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Two weeks later, Miyuki had become able to escape Watanuki's snares with barely any effort. She found herself leaving her bags at school and 'grabbing' them out of her locker just before she stepped into the shop.

"It's time for your final test, Miyuki-chan." She didn't bristle any more. Whatever he was, he wasn't a normal human. She'd finally accepted that. She didn't know what he actually was, but he wasn't what he appeared.

"What is it?"

"We're going to have a movie night again tonight."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, sure. You'll get me hot and bothered while I'm tied up. Got it."

"Do you want to be hot and bothered and tied up?" he asked with a meaningful, suggestive gaze.

Miyuki just frowned at him. "You can't touch me, remember?" He always played by his rules. She'd figured that out, too. He did no more and no less than he said he'd do. He gave no gifts, and accepted none. She'd figured out that even in the bedroom, he ensured that everything was an even exchange, based on tidbits she'd overheard while eavesdropping at his bedroom door with Mokona.

Watanuki gave her an enigmatic smile, but said nothing. _Perhaps he still has something up his sleeve._

Doumeki showed up with more movies. The selection of the evening was 'Haruka Does Tokyo, Part 5' and 'Futanari Princesses From Mars'. "Can we watch Haruka? I'd rather skip anything to do with futanari," Miyuki requested.

"As you wish," Watanuki replied, looking slightly disappointed. "Your challenge for tonight is simple: decide which character you want to cuddle with, and bring that person through, despite my barriers."

"What?"

"Control of your ability is not limited to not using it, but also being able to use it despite barriers to its use."

Picking a person to 'cuddle' proved harder than she'd expected. Haruka-chan was a petite slut who made the spider-woman look positively chaste. Every male she met was... well-endowed. Distressingly so. _I don't think I want any of them near me. _Despite that, she did find herself feeling... interested. It wasn't until their third movie that she found someone... cute. He seemed smaller, and harmless.

She tried to... twist... to grab the guy, and felt the usual powerful resistance. This time she concentrated, and noticed that he was staring at her through the screen. There was a wicked gleam in his eye that made her heart flutter, and she _twisted,_ and he was climbing out.

"Well, that ends your training, Miyuki-chan!" Suddenly, the man faded away.

"What?"

"You passed. You can completely control your ability. Training's over." He paused. "Unless you want to learn more."

Miyuki stared at him shrewdly. "What do you mean?"

"There are a great many things that it would be advisable for you to learn, Miyuki-chan. Your control over your ability to transcend space and dimensions is just one of them."

"And what would it cost me to learn everything else?"

"Everyone and everything you know." He said it so seriously she almost believed him for a moment.

She giggled nervously. "Very funny, Watanuki-san! But really, what would it cost?"

It was Doumeki who spoke up. "He never kids about the price of a wish."

She stared at Doumeki, then back at Watanuki.

"And what happens if I don't do this training?"

"You walk out, and we never see each other again." He took a deep breath. "But, you have made others aware of your existence. You put your toe in a very dangerous world. If you are not trained by someone, you will likely get yourself killed. I'll let you stay here for two days while you decide."

With that, he flipped off the TV and strolled out of the room. Doumeki left immediately after, and Miyuki found herself staring after them.

"Better make up your mind!" Mokona advised. "He won't wait forever!"

Miyuki had a feeling Mokona knew something she didn't, or meant something improper.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It was two days later that Miyuki asked Watanuki, "How long will I survive, if you don't train me further?"

"A year or two. Maybe three, if you're lucky."

"And if you do?"

"Hundreds of years will be added to your lifespan."

_I have no choice. _"Please train me, Watanuki-sensei."

He smiled slightly. "I will. There are some preparations I need to make to begin your training. Until that time, do not leave the shop grounds. For anything."

"But I have classes!"

"You gave them up. Remember?" He stood and left. "Come along, Mokona, it's time to speak with the travelers."

* * *

Later that day, she ran into Watanuki. He was busy signing some documents. "What's that for?" she asked.

"Preparations."

"Did you say what you needed to to the travelers?"

"I did."

"Where's Mokona?"

"It needed to leave for its new caretaker."

"Oh, how long have you taken care of Mokona?"

"Ever since I became owner of this shop." He seemed sad, regretful, as if something was weighing on his mind.

* * *

Miyuki heard Doumeki and Watanuki speaking earnestly. She rounded the corner as Doumeki groused, "Fine, I'll do it, but I don't like it, Watanuki-san."

"This is the last thing I'll ask of you. Then your family will be free of its debt to me."

"Did you think we might not want that?"

"It doesn't matter." Again, there was a note of regret in Watanuki's voice.

"Did I miss something?" Miyuki interrupted.

"Nothing," Doumeki answered, and left the shop.

* * *

Miyuki passed Watanuki's door, and heard the voice of Zashiki-warashi crying.

Mokona was nowhere to be found.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Where's Mokona?" Miyuki asked.

"It's living with Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun, now." She had no idea who they were. "They can finally be together," he added with a wistful smile.

"How much longer do we need to wait?"

"Your training will start shortly. I have one last thing I need to do, though. Please fetch me an object that resembles two large eggs from the warehouse."

She recalled dusting it, and got it. "Thank you, Miyuki-chan. Now we wait for Doumeki to bring the object his family has held for so long."

It didn't take long for Doumeki to arrive. "You brought it?" Watanuki asked.

"I did." Doumeki felt... cold. Distant. Miyuki found herself glancing back and forth between the two.

"Then it's time to begin. Moro, Maru, stand next to this, please."

The two girls stood next to the double egg. He raised his hands, and two glowing circles appeared under the girls. "Goodbye, Watanuki." "Wake us soon, Master."

"Goodbye, girls." He sounded wistful. Then the two circles suddenly moved and... funneled... the girls into the double egg.

Miyuki's jaw dropped. "Where...? How...?"

"We'll need them later as raw materials." _Raw materials? He makes them sound like things, not people. _He turned to Doumeki. "The egg is for the barrier. It was never for me. Use it now."

Doumeki scowled and took a small egg from his pocket. The man threw the egg at the gate, and Miyuki felt the perimeter of the shop grounds ripple, like something had untwisted.

"Thank you for holding it, Doumeki. The property now belongs to the temple." Watanuki turned to Miyuki. "And now we leave, Miyuki."

A blue circle appeared under them, and Watanuki hugged Miyuki close. Suddenly, they were falling, and Miyuki screamed.

* * *

Miyuki came to. "Where are we?"

"The same place we were before. The correct question is, 'When are we?'"

"When are we?" She asked, feeling irritable.

"In the distant past. Here, we can train. But first, there is one more thing I need to do."

The blue circle appeared around them, and she saw his features twist and change. He looked... older. He smirked, and when she looked down, she saw her chest swelling.

"What?"

"You will now be known as Ichihara Yuuko. Do not tell anyone your true name again. I will be known as Clow Reed. I have never told you my true name." He smirked. "I have waited a long time for you to return."

"And why did you make me so... busty?"

"Because this is how you will appear when I first meet you."

"And the reason for taking the girls with us?"

"They will be turned into the Mokonas when we find souls for them. For now, we'll just hang on to them."

Miyuki... Yuuko... narrowed her eyes. "This was the price, wasn't it?"

"Yes, we will need time to study together." He held his hand out to her. "Shall we find a more hospitable dimension? You're still better at moving between locations than I am."

She took his hand, and they disappeared.

* * *

Watanuki... Clow Reed... didn't mention that they were famous for being lovers. She'd realize he could approach her in due time, now that her first training was complete. He had always thought Yuuko was sexy as hell. Well, until then, he could start courting Zashiki-warashi, instead of being courted by her.


End file.
